This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Male contraception is most commonly achieved by a surgical vasectomy. Conventionally, a surgical vasectomy may be performed by the traditional method of removing the vas deferens completely or by cutting and sealing the vas deferens, commonly referred to as a “keyhole” or non-scalpel vasectomy. Patients undergoing either type of vasectomy should consider the procedure to be permanent and non-reversible. In some limited cases, the vasectomy may be reversed by a second surgical procedure known as a vasovasostomy. While vasovasostomy can be an effective means for treating pain arising from vasectomy complications, the procedure provides no guarantee that the patient's reproductive capabilities will be completely restored. Furthermore, as with most microsurgical procedures, the vasovasostomy can be extremely costly. Accordingly, male patients desiring an effective contraception method often hesitate when considering a vasectomy due to the potential physical side-effects and the essentially irreversible effects of the surgery.
Recently, methods of definitive male contraception utilizing an intra vas implant have been developed as an alternative to traditional vasectomy surgery. The intra vas implant is implanted into the vas deferens, blocking the path of sperm from the testicles to the urethra, to achieve male contraception. Two common types of implantable devices include injectable implants and sutured implants. The injectable implants utilize an injectable liquid polymer which is injected into the vas deferens and subsequently hardens to create a plug. The injectable polymer contraception method may be reversible by surgically removing the plugs. The sutured implants utilize a silicone plug that is implanted into each vas deferens and anchored to the wall by microsutures. Similar to the injectable plugs, the silicone plugs can be surgically removed.
Thus, a need exists to develop a permanent implant that provides male contraception and yet can be reversed without the need for secondary surgical procedures.